Brentz Cecchini and Ranaudo are locks to be added, they could be traded, but they will certainly be protected. DeLacruz, couch, Hernandez and hazelbaker I seriously doubt will be added; they will either not make another team or just aren't important enough to protect.

So do you keep the 4 on the 60 day DL? You have 5 FA spots--if so who do you release from the 40?

If you protect Ranaudo, Cecch and Brentz---what players do you release?

No way we DFA Vazquez.

Hassan had the highest OBP in the whole Sox organization at .457. He also had a decent SLG% of .471. He's not going anywhere via DFA.

Holt will probably stick around as will Villareal.

Thornton has an option we can just turn down.

I think Snyder is already gone (FA this winter).

McDonald is a FA after the season, unless he takes an arb.

Many teams are having tight roster issues, so the 3 for 1 trades will be hard to make, unless they are cearly better players than what a team has already.

Some good players will not be taken, because they are not ML ready, and the team that takes him has to leave him on the 25 man roster all year or risk losing him back to us. (Jose Vinicio, Luis Diaz and Keury de la Cruz might fit this mold.)

So do you keep the 4 on the 60 day DL? You have 5 FA spots--if so who do you release from the 40?

If you protect Ranaudo, Cecch and Brentz---what players do you release?

There's a good chance all those players you listed are gone, with the exception of Vazquez. The Sox are definitely not DFA'ing one of their top 20 prospects; especially considering he plays a premium position. I'm not sure about those other guys, they are all guys they would like to keep around for depth but at the end of the day they may have to cut lose a guy like Holt or Villarreal.

My guess is Berry, Snyder, McDonald and Thornton are definitely gone. One of either Butler/Lavarnway are traded away. Guys like Villareal, and Beato are up in the air, it all depends on how much room they have but there is a crunch so if guys aren't traded then those guys are easily DFA'd. Brentz is another guy I can see the Sox trading away as well, but only if they are bringing in another OF prospect or FA because after JBJ and him the outfield position is really thin in the Minors (at least at the top)

Some potential notable lost players not currently on the 40 man roster: Ranaudo, Brentz, Cecchini, DeLaCruz, Couch, Hazelbaker, Chris Hernandez and others.

Remember, Boston will lose up possible 8 or more free agents this year. So that will free up spots for Ranaudo, Cecchini and Brentz. Other remaining guys, I do not know much about them. If they are not a worthy players, let them go.

Some of this roster stuff is pretty easily broken down, in my opinion.

Snyder, Berry and McDonald are easy guys to let go as all can be replaced next year or even resigned if still available.

Thornton will not get his option of $6 M renewed.

Young guys lie Haselbacker, Hernandez, de la Cruz and Hassan will not be taken in the rule 5 draft as they are not sure things to be kept on the selecting team's 25 man major league roster for all of the 2014 season.

I don't know much about Butler, but his stats are not terrible. Lavarnway still has promise for at least one more year. Villareal and Beato are fringe relievers who may or may not show improvement in the spring.

Some guys are likely to get traded before the Rule 5 draft which takes place on the last day of the GM's meetings in early December.

The Sox will likely try to bring back Napoli, Ellsbury, Saltalamacchia and Carp while guys like Hanrahan and Bailey are big risks for anyone coming off pitching arm surgeries. Kalish was and still is a question mark.

If healthy, I think the top 36 are likely and we should find a way to protect them, although the health of Bailey and Kalish is very much a question mark. And the players outside my top 37 are outside my top 33 prospects. Will not be the end of the world to lose two of these guys. And no matter how many trades we make, we will lose 2 guys. Not sure there is that much difference between losing players 38-39 and losing players 45-46.

If healthy, I think the top 36 are likely and we should find a way to protect them, although the health of Bailey and Kalish is very much a question mark. And the players outside my top 37 are outside my top 33 prospects. Will not be the end of the world to lose two of these guys. And no matter how many trades we make, we will lose 2 guys. Not sure there is that much difference between losing players 38-39 and losing players 45-46.

You have a point, but we will be signing at least 3 free agents and probably 4 or 5, so eventually we'll need to DFA some good players or get creative with the 60-day DL.

If we sign, let's say, Napoli, Pence, Salty and a relief pitcher, who is our utility IF'er? Let's say we keep Holt or sign a cheap IF'er, that's 4 additions. Now we are getting into Hassan or Almanzar territory, unless we make some 2 or 3 for 1 deals or let Bailey go by not offering him arb- or both.

It wouldn't be the end of the world to lose Hassan or Almanzar, but if we can upgrade on quality by shedding some quantity, making room for these two is worth the gamble.

If healthy, I think the top 36 are likely and we should find a way to protect them, although the health of Bailey and Kalish is very much a question mark. And the players outside my top 37 are outside my top 33 prospects. Will not be the end of the world to lose two of these guys. And no matter how many trades we make, we will lose 2 guys. Not sure there is that much difference between losing players 38-39 and losing players 45-46.

You have a point, but we will be signing at least 3 free agents and probably 4 or 5, so eventually we'll need to DFA some good players or get creative with the 60-day DL.

If we sign, let's say, Napoli, Pence, Salty and a relief pitcher, who is our utility IF'er? Let's say we keep Holt or sign a cheap IF'er, that's 4 additions. Now we are getting into Hassan or Almanzar territory, unless we make some 2 or 3 for 1 deals or let Bailey go by not offering him arb- or both.

It wouldn't be the end of the world to lose Hassan or Almanzar, but if we can upgrade on quality by shedding some quantity, making room for these two is worth the gamble.

Sox4ever

If you start losing the Hassan-Almanzar level guys, I am with you trying to find ways to protect the numbers. And I agree that we will have to sign some free agents before the rule 5 draft, so likely the 40 cut line will be close to that area. I think alot depends on whether they keep Kalish and Bailey. And I think that all comes down to their expected health come April. Sox will have to make some medical judgements, which they don't seem particularly great at. Anyway, cut those two guys and it becomes easier.

My main point on the multy player trades is that we are going to lose 2 players no matter what, so there is only somewhat limited improvement to the situation. I think it comes down to where we have to start protecting. Almanzar they might just not like makeup wise, so he like Bailey and Kalish is tricky.

I might be the biggest Luis Diaz fan out there. I rank him currently 15th in the Sox system. At 92-95 with a great change, good size, very good command and control. I love him. His stats this year were excellent overall, but great the second half of the season. I have him higher then Stanky, Johnson, Callahan, and Kukuk. Would somebody try and steal one of those guys if they were available to stash on a big league roster?

Maybe I am wrong in rating him so high though. Although your point that he is only a low A guy is true and very important, I expect somebody to take him and stuff him into their bullpen if we leave him out there.

Not that high on Alex Wilson. I rank him outside my top 50 prospects. He seemed kind of ordinary to me. Consistently topping out at 93. Stats were mediocre. Already 26. Just a relief pitcher. Very Pedro Beatoish to me. If Wilson was one of the guys taken in the 5 draft, I would be happy.

If you start losing the Hassan-Almanzar level guys, I am with you trying to find ways to protect the numbers. And I agree that we will have to sign some free agents before the rule 5 draft, so likely the 40 cut line will be close to that area. I think alot depends on whether they keep Kalish and Bailey. And I think that all comes down to their expected health come April. Sox will have to make some medical judgements, which they don't seem particularly great at. Anyway, cut those two guys and it becomes easier.

My main point on the multy player trades is that we are going to lose 2 players no matter what, so there is only somewhat limited improvement to the situation. I think it comes down to where we have to start protecting. Almanzar they might just not like makeup wise, so he like Bailey and Kalish is tricky.

I might be the biggest Luis Diaz fan out there. I rank him currently 15th in the Sox system. At 92-95 with a great change, good size, very good command and control. I love him. His stats this year were excellent overall, but great the second half of the season. I have him higher then Stanky, Johnson, Callahan, and Kukuk. Would somebody try and steal one of those guys if they were available to stash on a big league roster?

Maybe I am wrong in rating him so high though. Although your point that he is only a low A guy is true and very important, I expect somebody to take him and stuff him into their bullpen if we leave him out there.

Not that high on Alex Wilson. I rank him outside my top 50 prospects. He seemed kind of ordinary to me. Consistently topping out at 93. Stats were mediocre. Already 26. Just a relief pitcher. Very Pedro Beatoish to me. If Wilson was one of the guys taken in the 5 draft, I would be happy.

Great points. I do think Luis Diaz is good enough for someone to maybe take a chance and ride it out.

On Holt, I think we can afford to not protect him and then just sign a utility FA guy after the draft. At that point, we may be able to make a 2 or 3 for 1 trade or trade a 40 man guy for someone else's non 40 man guy prospect to make room.

It could get tricky, but I'm not as worried about losing some good prospects as I was earlier this summer.

Bailey and Kalish might be the keys. I doubt either are tradeable, but you never know, so we may just have to say good bye to one or both. Another option is to sign a guy like Corey Hart or Mike Morse, who can play RF and 1B, and try and make do with one guy helping both slots. It might look something like this:

(Assuming we sign Salty or McCann to catch and let Bailey go somehow)

The 13 position players:

C- Salty/Ross

1B- Hart/Carp/Nava/Middy/Papi (in NL parks)

2B- Pedey/ FA Utility IF'er

3B- Middy/Bogey/Utility IF'er

SS- Bogaerts/Utility IF'er

LF- Nava/Gomes

CF- JBJ/Victorino

RF- Victorino/Hart/Nava/Gomes

The 12 Pitchers:

SP- Buch, Lester, Peavy, Lackey, Demps, Doubr

RP- Uehara, Taz, Bres, Miller, Morales, FA releif pitcher, Workman

26) Britton

27) Webster

28) de la Rosa

29) Vazquez

30) Lava

31-Ranaudo

32-Cecchini

33-Brentz

34-Luis Diaz

35-Kalish[health]

36-Hassan

37-Almanzar

38-Wright

39-Villareal

40- Wilson

I guess, if we sign a seperate 1Bman and RF'er and end up losing Wilson, it wouldn't be a big deal.

I've seen Butler listed multiple times here for DFA. I don't see it happening. He's 26, but he is also a good defensive catcher who just put up good offensive numbers in AAA. Assuming we sign Salty (or McCann) we will be trading a catcher this offseason. My money is on Lava being traded. Our starting catcher will be providing most of the offense for the position and I think your 3rd string C should be a defense first guy. Plus Butler profiles very nicely as the 2nd C for 2015.

It's possible Lava sticks, he has looked better in his playing time with the Sox this year, but I suspect it's window dressing for a trade. If I'm wrong, though, I guarantee Butler gets traded; he has too much value to DFA.

I've seen Butler listed multiple times here for DFA. I don't see it happening. He's 26, but he is also a good defensive catcher who just put up good offensive numbers in AAA. Assuming we sign Salty (or McCann) we will be trading a catcher this offseason. My money is on Lava being traded. Our starting catcher will be providing most of the offense for the position and I think your 3rd string C should be a defense first guy. Plus Butler profiles very nicely as the 2nd C for 2015.

It's possible Lava sticks, he has looked better in his playing time with the Sox this year, but I suspect it's window dressing for a trade. If I'm wrong, though, I guarantee Butler gets traded; he has too much value to DFA.

I think the rise of Vazquez has a lot to do with the talk, but you are right, he should be traded (or Lava) not DFA'd, but every team will be up against the wall with rule 5. They aren't looking to add marginal 40 man roster players in November or early December.